Dare To Desire An Invitation To Fulfill Your Deepest Dreams [Hardcover]

John Eldredge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 22, 2002

Here is the perfect book for those ready to move beyond the daily grind to a life overflowing with adventure, beauty, and a God who loves us more passionately than we dared imagine. Far from promoting a "Carpe Diem" attitude adjustment, Dare to Desire is an invitation to a whole new life. But be warned - once you accept this invitation, you'll never see your world the same again.

With brand new content as well as concepts from his three best-selling books (Sacred Romance, Journey of Desire, and Wild at Heart), John Eldredge takes readers on a majestic journey through the uncharted waters of the human heart. Combining powerful quotes, stunning photography, and the encouragement of an experienced trail guide, John Eldredge shows readers how to draw closer to a God who seeks to grant us our deepest desires.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (February 22, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849995914
• ISBN-13: 978-0849995910
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #850,258 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Eldredge is an author (you probably figured that out), a counselor, and teacher. He is also president of Ransomed Heart, a ministry devoted to helping people discover the heart of God, recover their own heart in his love, and learn to live in his Kingdom. John grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles (which he hated), and spent his boyhood summers on his grandfather's cattle ranch in eastern Oregon (which he loved). John met his wife Stasi in high school (in drama class). But their romance did not begin until they each came to faith in Christ, after high school. John earned his undergraduate degree in Theater at Cal Poly, and directed a theater company in Los Angeles for several years before moving to Colorado with Focus on the Family, where he taught at the Focus on the Family Institute.

John earned his master's degree in Counseling from Colorado Christian University, under the direction of Larry Crabb and Dan Allender. He worked as a counselor in private practice before launching Ransomed Heart in 2000. John and Stasi live in Colorado Springs with their three sons (Samuel, Blaine and Luke), their golden retriever (Oban), and two horses (Whistle and Kokolo). While all of this is factually true, it somehow misses describing an actual person. He loves the outdoors passionately, and all beauty, Shakespeare, bow hunting, a good cigar, anything having to do with adventure, poetry, March Madness, working in the shop, fly fishing, classic rock, the Tetons, fish tacos, George MacDonald, green tea, buffalo steaks, dark chocolate, wild and open places, horses running, and too much more to name. He also uses the expression "far out" way too much.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly a "dare" to desire, March 30, 2002

By 

Carol Davis, Mission of Grace Foundation (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dare To Desire An Invitation To Fulfill Your Deepest Dreams (Hardcover)

I never thought I would consider posting a review, but this book is worth talking about! I received it today and read it immediately -- within one hour. It is profound, prophetic, poetic and too the point. And as an added bonus, it's picturesque. Almost every page has a beautiful full color picture that inspires and compliments the text on the page.

John Eldredge has done an excellent job of capturing the essense of what it means to live the abundant life Christ promised. He has effectively exposed the dysfunctional distractions and detours that keep us from living out our true desires and fulfilling the innermost dreams God has placed on our heart.

If you are looking for a book to challenge, convict and call you to action, this is the book for you. It is truly a dare to desire!

60 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars If you have read Wild at heart don't bother with this one, October 16, 2002

By 

"tjenne11" (Arlington, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dare To Desire An Invitation To Fulfill Your Deepest Dreams (Hardcover)

I have read Wild at Heart by John Eldredge and it has been life changing! A truly remarkable book. I think the publisher (AKA marketing machine) convinced John to re-package this book from Sacred Romance and Wild at Heart and sell it again. I read page after page in this book, it was cut-n-paste from the other books. I was really hoping for a viewpoint equally insightful and clear, but was disappointed.
To further add to my displeasure, the point in the book that was original, Desires Homecoming, he failed to bring to light the real reason we have been placed here on earth, he talked about the Kingdom of God, though he redefined the flawed view, he failed to bring it home to answer the question "what do I do now?" It is still fixed in the "sweet-by and by" instead of the Kingdom of God as Jesus lived it. 'On earth as it is in Heaven', NOW! That is the adventure we are all looking for. Jesus lived a wild adventure, beating the Dragon (the Devil) rescuing the Beauty (the Church) and establishing His Kingdom. He told us to do the same, that desire is in all of us because he has placed his spirit in us.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Way is Narrow, May 13, 2004

By 

Chad Cox (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dare To Desire An Invitation To Fulfill Your Deepest Dreams (Hardcover)

I can't understand how some people have actually accused John Eldredge of making the Gospel better than it truly is... as if that's possible!!! The Gospel IS good news, and if the Gospel you're following isn't freeing you and making you want to burst at the seams just to get a chance to share it with others, then it's NOT the Gospel of Christ Jesus you're holding. Period. However, it's not a surprise to me that Eldredge is taking some abuse. Jesus promised that the way to Life is narrow and only a few would find it.

The great thing about the way Eldredge writes is his ability to compile the greatest Christian writings into one source. When you read an Eldredge book, you're not just getting his particular point of view. You get the Bible (in several translations), CS Lewis, Gerald May, St. Augustine, Thomas a' Kempis, GK Chesterton, Oswald Chambers, etc... His writings are very similiar to those "IDIOT'S GUIDES" that you see on nearly every subject possible (camping, web design, etc...). Those guides are simply created from compiling the most reliable sources into one, easy to read book. That's John Eldredge for you. Think of any of his books as "THE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO THE GOSPEL." Eldredge's writings are balanced and full of Truth (with a capital "T"), because he is simply compiling the best of the best writings from those who have really walked with Jesus.

This is not NEW stuff. (And I'm sure John Eldredge would be the first to admit that.) This is the Gospel as it's always been. If it sounds brand new, it just means you've probably been drinking from a muddy river instead of the Rivers of Living Water. (ie: Though I was raised in the church, I never truly heard The Gospel until I was 17 years old. If anyone knows what it is to THINK you know Jesus and Freedom only to find out all you truly know is religion and shame, it's me.)

If you haven't read anything by John Eldredge, go for it. My introduction to Eldredge was Sacred Romance. (I later read Wild at Heart, then Journey of Desire.) Dare to Desire is great if you just want to find out where Eldredge is coming from in one hour or less. There isn't anything this man has written that is not Life-giving and filled with the thirst-quenching Truth as Jesus meant it. Drink up! =) (www.ransomedheart.com is Eldredge's website. He has valuable teaching tapes / cds.)